NDSU extends Bohl’s contract

Veteran coach to coach through 2016 campaign with rollover

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State football coach Craig Bohl has accepted a five-year contract extension with a two-year roll over starting in 2016. The announcement was made Wednesday by NDSU director of athletics Gene Taylor.

“I am very pleased we have signed coach Bohl to continue being the head coach of the Bison the next several years. His record of success speaks for itself and how he operates the program overall is exceptional. I could not be more pleased as to the future of Bison football under his leadership and our continued working relationship together,” Taylor said.

Taylor said the base salary of the contract is $196,668, beginning July 1. The contract includes incentives for a Missouri Valley Football Conference championship ($10,000), NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff home ($5,000) and away ($2,500) games, a FCS runner-up finish ($10,000) and a FCS championship ($15,000).

“I want to thank Gene Taylor for his leadership and believing in the direction that we have established for the North Dakota State football program. I sincerely appreciate the University’s commitment to me and to the future of Bison football,” Bohl said. “The success that we've accomplished has been possible because of the collective efforts of the football coaches and staff, players, our administration and the entire NDSU family.”

In 2010, Bohl led the tradition-rich NDSU program to its first Division I Football Championship Subdivision I (FCS) playoff appearance -- dropping a 38-31 overtime decision at eventual national champion Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals. NDSU also played host to its first NCAA postseason game against Robert Morris in the Fargodome.

A two-time FCS Coach of the Year finalist, Bohl enters his ninth season with a 61-30 record including a 9-8 record against nationally-ranked FCS teams and 4-4 mark against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams during the past five seasons -- including a 6-3 win at Kansas in the 2010 season opener.

With the 61 wins, Bohl is second all-time at the school tied with the legendary Ron Ehrhardt. The Bison compiled a 9-5 record in 2010, a dramatic turnaround from the 3-8 ledger the year before. NDSU finished 4-4 and tied for third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Since making the move to FCS play, the football program's performance on the field with the West Coast offense and aggressive defense has rekindled the excitement in the Fargo-Moorhead community, state of North Dakota and the region. NDSU's average home attendance in the Fargodome has grown from 11,567 in 2003 to a school record 18,141 achieved in 2007. There have been eight sellouts between during the past five seasons. Capacity is listed at 18,700. The Bison are 36-10 at home during the past eight years.

North Dakota State has been ranked in The Sport Network or FCS Coaches Top 25 for 65 weeks since jumping to Division I in 2004. The Bison held down the No. 1 ranking in the FCS Coaches Top 25 for 10 weeks in 2007 and 2008. NDSU was ranked 9th in both the final Top 25 polls last season.

Since Bohl's arrival, North Dakota State has had eight players earn 11 Capital One University Division Academic All-America awards. Nine different players have received All-America honors.